CSK vs GT Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2023 Final match?
Did the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) even happen? Two months later, we're back at the same venue, where the same two teams will lock horns in an attempt to add to their respective trophy cabinets.
For the Gujarat Titans (GT), there's the small matter of going back-to-back in their first two campaigns in the league. Competitive? What competitive? The defending champions have brushed aside oppositions with scary ease over their two seasons, with their thumping win over the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator serving as a reflection of their dominance.
For the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), meanwhile, the path is clear to become the joint-most decorated team in IPL history. They won't be playing at their beloved Chepauk, but fans of MS Dhoni and Co. will likely paint the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad a vibrant shade of yellow. 10 finals and five league titles would be no joke, particularly when you consider the fact that CSK would have played only 14 completed seasons.
Of course IPL 2023 happened. The tournament has captured the eye of even the casual cricket fan for two whole months, and it's been tough to take your eyes off once locked in. Nail-biting finishes, breakthrough stars, sensational performances with both bat and ball - the competition has had it all.
IPL royalty, in the truest sense of the word, will be in action on Sunday, May 28. It isn't a surprise, of course, that the two sides have several points of commonality in the way they approach the game. At the same time, there are contrasts; contrasts which set up a unique dimension to the summit clash that cannot be put into the most ideal of words.
The Men in Yellow will take some heart from their first-ever triumph over GT in Qualifier 1. They will know, however, that there's a reason why the Titans won their first three meetings in fairly dominant fashion.
The Gujarat Titans are good, really good. But the Chennai Super Kings know a thing or two about punching above their weight and delivering under pressure. Has an IPL final ever been as storybook and picturesque?
IPL 2023, CSK vs GT Match Prediction: Defending champions start as the favorites
How do you stop the Gujarat Titans? Dhoni will have a trick or two up his sleeve, but it's safe to say that the Chennai Super Kings will not be able to compete in the IPL 2023 final if they don't execute to perfection. Because on paper, at least, GT are the clearly better side.
Shubman Gill is breaking records and clearing boundaries with equal ease, and doesn't appear to have any real holes in his game. GT have taken total command over the top three spots in the Purple Cap list, with Mohammad Shami and Rashid Khan finding support from ever-consistent former CSK man Mohit Sharma.
Chennai will need to see the back of Gill early. They will need to play out Shami and perhaps even capitalize on the powerplay in a high-scoring Ahmedabad venue. They've proven to be quite adept at handling Rashid Khan, but the Afghan is the kind of player who can be lethal on any given day.
And if CSK manage to achieve the above three feats, they will just have to contend with a red-hot Vijay Shankar, the power-hitting of David Miller, B Sai Sudharsan's calmness and stability, Rahul Tewatia's magical finishing, Josh Little's all-phase prowess.....the list goes on.
It might seem one-sided, but the Super Kings tick a few boxes too. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway have been the pillars on which the batting order has been propped up, and Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane are the dynamite with the freedom to explode because of the solid base.
Matheesha Pathirana offers a unique mix of unpredictability and sheer skill that few in the world can rival, but could the rest of the CSK bowlers find it tough to cope with Ahmedabad? There could be a collapse around the corner if Gill is sent back early, but only if the away side bowl very well.
It's impossible to predict the result of a knockout game such as this one, and it's frankly silly to try. The only thing that can be said with certainty is that both teams are easily in with a shot, and that GT appear to be the stronger outfit on paper.
To sign off with a cliche, may the best team win!
Prediction: GT to win the IPL 2023 Final.